Fresh from a speech today providing more detail on his plans to lift New Zealand's profile by being the next tourism minister, Mr Key headed out for a stroll around the tourist capital.
But his campaign-trail charm offensive -- designed to provide pictures for the TV cameras -- was met by several blank stares.
"Just who are you," asked British tourist Linda Davies about three minutes into a conversation started when Mr Key descended on her, her son and a friend at the Juice Stop cafe.
"I'm the leader of our Tory party...I'm New Zealand's version of David Cameron."
Next stop was outside the Boardwalk restaurant, where Mr Key startled a female Italian tourist when he asked: "Are you good?"
"No, not good," she said as she tried to move away from Mr Key's marauding entourage.
The locals -- when he could find them -- were more enthusiastic and Mr Key's earlier speech to a tourism industry audience was warmly received.
In the speech, Mr Key released National's tourism policy and outlined his own plans to give the portfolio "profile and grunt" by taking it on as prime minister.
He said tourism was arguably New Zealand's largest export industry -- accounting for 18 percent of earnings and employing one in 10 workers.
He said he would boost marketing, freshen the "100 percent pure" brand, co-operate with Australia in marketing the region and make the most of promotional benefits from the 2011 Rugby World Cup.
As prime minister he would meet with organisers at least once a month.
After the speech Mr Key refused to commit to boosting Tourism New Zealand's (TNZ) annual $85 million budget which he said had been roughly static over the last decade.
"I think it's likely to need to be increased but a I said to you it's about driving greater synergies and driving greater value and I don't want to second guess that."
He said there was room to channel more spending into frontline marketing and he wanted the TNZ, the Foreign Affairs Ministry and Trade and Enterprise New Zealand to co-operate more on promoting the country overseas.
But Labour's tourism spokesman Damien O'Connor said National's policy did little to address the issues facing the industry under current tough economic conditions.
"After nine years in opposition the best the National Party can come up with to lift the performance of New Zealand's biggest export-earning industry is to meddle with the 100 Percent Pure brand, water down environmental criteria in the Resource Management Act, and cap Tourism New Zealand funding."
